This invention relates to a container or package, and more particularly to a package for a fragile article such as a printed circuit board.
Packaging a fragile and expensive article such as an electronic printed circuit board (PCB) has posed special problems. Such a container should, of course, be sufficiently sturdy to protect the article and, in the instance of a PCB, to prevent damage to the electronic components due to static electricity.
Regarding the prior art, a container for a PCB or glass plates is described in the J. R. Puente U.S. Pat. No. 3,256,975. The container includes a box and a removable lid made of a plastic material such as polyethylene, the edges of the article being clamped between the box and the lid. This container, however, does not provide for the storage in the container of documents that normally accompany articles of this nature.
According to an article that appeared in the December-January 1990-1991 issue of EOS/ESD Technology, a company in Irvine, California named Western Digital Corp. has designed a package for a PCB. The package is of the clamshell type and is made of a clear molded plastic. Apparently a PCB is placed in one-half of the package and the other half is folded over the PCB. It appears from the article that, for shipping, a separate box is required, and the package plus documents are placed in the box.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 3,405,836 to L. S. Regis describes a mailing package for spectacles, including a box, an interior flap and an outer cover. The spectacles are loosely placed in the box and a mailing card is placed between the flap and the cover, the cover having an opening so that the mailing card may be read.
While the foregoing containers appear to work satisfactorily for their intended purposes, there remains a need for an improved package for a fragile article such as a printed circuit board and documents relating to the board.